Theme Ride Thursday: Hanukkah Songs for Indoor Cycling

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, doesn’t come with the same endless playlist that Christmas does, which can make it tough to bring holiday spirit into your cycling classes. So we pulled together a handful of fun, high-energy tracks that actually work on the bike—and celebrate the season in a meaningful way.

Whether you’re lighting the menorah, frying up latkes, or just looking to mix up your holiday music, here are a few Hanukkah-friendly songs to add to your next class.

And if you’ve got other favorites, drop them in the comments. We’d love to build a bigger Hanukkah cycling playlist together.

The Chanukah Song, Adam Sandler, 3:43, 89 bpm
Sandler busted this tune out on Weekend Update in 1994, shouting out the celebrities you may not have known to light the menorah every year, with the idea being precisely that there really aren’t any Hanukkah songs for young Jewish kids to take pride in. It started as a joke but has become a seasonal classic. This is probably the most famous one in pop culture if not the most cheesy—in the cycling studio it might work best as a pre- or post-class track.

There are additional options for parodies if you want to check out more by Six13 or Maccabeats.

8 Days (of Hanukkah), Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, 3:42, 97 bpm
A modern Hanukkah song you’d actually want to listen to all year. Use it for a fast flat or recovery.

Bohemian Chanukah (a Queen adaptation), Six13, 5:55, 142 bpm
If you love Queen and Bohemian Rhapsody, this is the song for you. A cool fact about this band is that they only use their voices to create all their music.

Chanukah (“Shake It Off”), Six13, 3:37, 160 bpm
Here’s proof that even Taylor Swift’s pop smash can be reworked (via the miracle of a cappella, no less) to tell the story of the Maccabees.

Candles on the Sill – Hanukkah, The Maccabeats, 14:09, 37 bpm
This song is a parody of “Castle on the Hill,” originally performed by Ed Sheeran.

=

Miracle, Matisyahu, 3:07, 111 bpm
Hasidic hip-hopper Matisyahu was inspired to write this pop-reggae jam to offer children something to celebrate.

If you want to include a song that is more mainstream try one of these.

Lights, Ellie Goulding, 4:04, 120 bpm
Looking for a more mainstream vibe? Ellie’s “Lights” is perfect for a progressive, slow climb that builds steadily while keeping riders engaged.

Miracles, Coldplay, 3:55, 93 bpm
Soft, uplifting, and melodic, this track works beautifully as a warm-up or for a steady flat-road endurance segment.

HANUKKAH BUCKET PLAYLIST
Help us grow this playlist!